Graham Rice's New Plants Blog

Editor-in-Chief of the RHS Encyclopedia of Perennials; writer for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Garden and The Plantsman; member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee and Floral Trials Committee; author of many books on plants and gardens.

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Tapestry of foliage colour

Continuing our look at the top six new plants in the latest RHS Plant Finder, just out, equal fourth with two others is the invaluable x Heucherella ‘Tapestry'.

Heucherellas are hybrids between Heuchera and Tiarella and Dan Heims of internationally renowned plant breeders Terra Nova Nurseries in Portland Oregon has created some superb plants in all three genera. This is one of his best.

The doubly lobed foliage is bluish green in spring, maturing to green with bold purple veins misted in silver in autumn and into the winter. This is all augmented by dusty pink spring flowers. The plants are less tight and compact than many heucheras and will spread steadily at the front of shady borders, make superb specimens in medium sized containers or can be tucked into a corner of some shady steps.